Psychological aspect of aging

Students: Mikaela Sjstrm & Sofie Strandell

Mental problems among elderly in Finland

When you get older several things in your life changes, physical changes and in the environment happens for most changes in your social life. If the life consists of just external factors, the elderly might feel a lack of meaningfulness and insignificance. The elderly might also have a fear of the future. Its quite common with mental problems among elderly, up to 30 % over 65 years. Besides this, the elderly also have several somatical diseases with psychical symptoms. The elderly have more psychical symptoms that decrease the functional ability and the quality of life. It is more common with psychical problems among females. Its also many people that not get treatment because of several reasons. These reasons for not getting treatment is e.g. that it is hard to diagnose, a lack of treatment possibilities and the limit is high for the elderly to get help. It is not that simple to recognize psychical problems among elderly or that nurses not consider it as very important. The care takes place in the primary healthcare. Elderly which have acute mental problems or have chronic mental problems are being cared for in the advanced healthcare. (Kaitsaari). The most common mental problems among elderly in Finland are depression, anxiety and state of confusion. Depression is a serious problem because it increases the suicide risk and problems with heart and strokes. (Kirkevold a.o. 2010, s. 377). In Finland every second elderly commit suicide. Today it is two times more common than 50 years ago. Lonelyness, hopefulness, helplessness and diseases are the main reasons for committing suicide. If the elderly talks about committing suicide he or she usually is serious about it. (Heiskanen a.o. 2002, s. 28). The use of alcohol has increased in the last years, even though the average alcohol use has stayed unchanged. Among men the increase of alcohol use has been higher than among women. The amount of high

consumers have increased and there for also the alcohol problems. It is difficult to reach the high consumers and there for there is a big amount of users that not show in the statistics. In Finland the limit of alcohol portion for high consumers 24 for men and 16 for women per week. (Sulander 2009, s. 157). References: Sulander, T. (2009). Alkoholi maistuu yh useammalle ikntyneelle ihmiselle. Gerontologia 3/2009, 157-162. Kirkevold, M., Brodtkorb, K. & Hylen Ranhoff, A. (2010). Geriatrisk omvrdnad God omsorg till den ldre patienten. Stockholm: Liber. Heiskanen, T., Salonen, K, Kitchener, B. & Jorm, A. (2002). Ksikirja- Mielen terveydest ja ensiavusta. Suomen mielenterveysseura. http://groups.stakes.fi/NR/rdonlyres/18174ABF-4E61-47E68654EBCD8714C386/0/Kasikirja_Mielenterveydesta_ja_ensiavusta_2_paino s.pdf (hmtat: 15.12.2010). Kaitsaari, T. Ikntyneiden mielenterveys. http://www.vanha.soc.utu.fi/socpol/socger/sosiaaligerontologia/alue3/miele nterveyden_hairiot.pdf (hmtat: 14.12.2010).

Pastoral Care and Death

Pastoral care is a service that the parish arrange. Pastoral care is to help the inside of the human to feel better, to help the soul to heal. Pastoral care can be performed by any of the parish stuff. It is an conversation between one of the parish stuff and you. You can talk about everything and the parish stuff have professional secrecy. (bo svenska frsamling). There are times in life when you can need pastoral care when you feel unsuccessful, hurt somebody or done wrong. The guilt can be a weight on your conscience and hurt the people we love. During the pastoral care discussion you discuss your lifesituation and you re trying to find a solution on the problems. (Evangelisk- Lutherska kyrkan i Finland).

When the death is getting closer a lot of feelings can occur. When you know that you only have a limited time left to live there is five stages of feelings that you can go through. Its the biggest crise of your life, because you cant find a solution. You havent got any experiences to rely on, you have to look your own death in the eye. You can deny the situation, feel angry, bargain, feel depressed and at last you accept it. You have to be allowed to feel these different feelings and react. You can never demand a person in sorrow to pull togheter. (Jahren Kristoffersen a.o. 2005, s. 285-286). A person which is dying can wish to die at home, but in a situation like that it demands a relative that can take part in the caring process. As soon as possible you have to arrange the details concerning the care and wishes of the persons death with the care stuff. The relatives and the patient have to be able to contact the nursing stuff around the clock. There have to be a place in the hospital or institution where the dying person can be transmitted if the situation gets worse. The close relative that takes care of the dying person needs a lot of guidance, support, appreciation and encouragement to have the energy to care for the dying patient at home. The costs for this solution cannot be a obstacle. The family has to be able to prepare for the incoming death. The relative who takes care of the dying patient have to have written advice of whom to call when the death

has appeared. There is a good nursing praxis to have a meeting with the relative afterwards. (ETENE, s. 12-13).

References: Jahren Kristoffersen, N., Nortvedt, F. & Skaug E A. (2005). Grundlggande omvrdnad, del 3. Stockholm: Liber. bo och St: Karins kyrkliga samfllighet. Sjlavrd och frbn. http://www.turunsrk.fi/portal/se/forsamlingen/abo_svenska_forsamling/sjal avard___forbon/ (hmtat: 14.12.2010). Evangeliska- Lutherska kyrkan i Finland. Bikt och sjlavrd. http://evl.fi/EVLsv.nsf/Documents/80904A78481F029DC22570B8006F406C ?OpenDocument&lang=SV (hmtat: 14.12.2010). Etenes Vrd i livets slutskede- Promemoria utgiven av riksomfattande etiska delegationen inom hlso och sjukvrd (ETENE). http://www.etene.fi/c/document_library/get_file? folderId=17885&name=DLFE-601.pdf (hmtat: 14.12.2010).